The present invention relates generally to machines for preparing feed for ruminant farm animals and the like and in particular to a reversible cutting edge for such that provides improved serviceability.
Preparing feed for large animals such as dairy cows can be done through the use of an agricultural mixer, for example, providing a large hopper with a vertically extending augur that rotates to mix feed materials introduced into the hopper. The edge of the augur may support multiple cutting edges having serrated edges that catch and cut fibrous materials such as hay and silage during the mixing process.
The cutting edges are subject to damage and accordingly it is known to allow replacement of the entire cutting edges which may be unbolted directly from the auger for replacement or which may be unbolted from a holder plate which attached to the augur. In this latter case, the holder plate may include a pocket serving to support the cutting edge blade against the holder plate and to further restrain the cutting edge against left, right and rearward motion. The pocket serves to block movement of the cutting edge blade in each of four different directions to reduce or eliminate shear forces on the bolts that pass through the holder plate and cutting edge attaching them together.
As a general practice, the agricultural mixer may be mounted to a cart or wagon to be moved to different locations of silage or animals being fed. In these locations, unexpected damage to or wear of the blades can be difficult to correct if replacement blades are not brought along or were not previously ordered. Extra blades are inevitably subject to being misplaced or lost.